Children's participation

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child introduced the right of...

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child introduced the right of children to have a say in issues affecting them. Although historic accounts demonstrate some children’s willingness and ability to express an opinion pre dating the UNCRC, a more visible emphasis on children’s involvement and participation, particularly in the design and delivery of children’s services, has been identified in its wake. Theory, practice guidelines and practitioner accounts are used to help the learner reflect on values and develop knowledge and skills for effective engagement and communication with groups of children in different contexts.

By the end of this unit you should be able to:

understand the principles underlying a rights and participation approach to childhood issues and how these may be applied to a variety of situations within different contexts;

develop communication and engagement skills that can be applied to work with children.

Children's participation

Introduction

The aim of this learning guide is to help you develop a critical understanding of the values, skills and methods associated with children’s participation. You will be encouraged to reflect upon and creatively apply the experiences of children and practitioners to new participatory contexts.

The Open University

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